Let down at the awards

Singer/songwriter Dani Bailey (left) and writer/director/editor Martine Blue ham it up at the Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto Sunday night in a Twitter post. — Screen capture

N.L. singer/songwriter and 'Hunting Pignut' film director miss out on red carpet

There was a healthy mix of Newfoundland and Labrador talent at the Canadian Screen awards in Toronto. N.L. actor/comedian Jonny Harris co-hosted the show. Newfoundland writer/director Sherry White took honours for her writing in the film “Maudie” directed by Aisling Walsh, much of which was shot in Newfoundland.
Among the less-likely-known Newfoundland award contenders was Dani Bailey, 30, who grew up in North Harbour, Placentia Bay.

Bailey had been nominated for best original song in a movie, Martine Blue’s “Hunting Pignut ” starring Joel Thomas Hynes as Pignut and Taylor Hickson as Bernice Kilfoy, a troubled teen from around the bay who embraces the gutter punk culture once lived by her dead father.

She was there with the writer and director of the film, Martine Blue.

While both were thrilled to be there, a glitch or an oversight — it wasn’t clear as of deadline — meant Bailey didn’t get to walk the red carpet.

The second disappointment of the night happened when it was announced that she lost out to an original song from “The Breadwinner,” by Qais Essar and Joshua Hill called “The Crown Sleeps.” Nominated in the same category was Joey Sherrett, Chris Gordon, and Nathaniel Huskinson’s song “CTS Thief” for the film “Boost.”

Bailey arrived in Toronto a few days ago, and took the opportunity to play a few gigs there before the big event. She admitted earlier this week to being super excited about it all.

In an interview with The Telegram earlier this year she said trying to make it as a musician has been tough at times, but she can’t imagine doing anything else.

“I spent years playing in empty bars,” she said. “Aside from being a part of ‘Hunting Pignut,’ my music career has been pretty low-key.”

Despite disappointment she and Blue took a moment to ham it up for the camera in a tweet for the St. John's International Film Festival.